Salty Rather Than Fresh for a Change

 

A thirst for some salty waters for a change and an ideal 9:15 am high tide brought me to Hingham, MA early yesterday morning.  A fellow kayaker, Wade, was already on the beach prepping his Hobie Mirage Outback for some striper fishing...

After launching into Hingham Harbor at about mid-tide I noted the rising sun trying to penetrate the clouds (opening photo).  Then I paddled out of the harbor towards Slate and Grape Islands...

On my way there I passed this handsome lobster boat seemingly a long way from home...

I'd later learn on the website of its builder that "The Sari Ann is a Peter Kass designed lobster boat built by John's Bay Boat Company in 2006."  It's a wooden boat.  John's Bay Boat Co. is located in South Bristol, ME which, interestingly enough, is less than 10 miles from where my Surge kayak was built on Westport Island, ME.

The Boston skyline could be seen in the distance...

Rounding the 2 islands afforded me encounters with this eye-catching American oystercatcher...

The oystercatcher never moved leaving to me to wonder if was real.  Had a band on one leg.

A white-tailed deer patrolled one of the island's shorelines...

Landed briefly on Grape Island where, according to the Boston Public Library's website, an early skirmish between the occupying British forces and Hingham militiamen took place May 21, 1775...

The island is located opposite the entrance to Weymouth's Back River.  I'd thought about paddling into Back River but found it fairly busy with large vessels entering and leaving:

Massachusetts Bay Lines' M/V Massachusetts...

 Semper Offshore's  150' supply vessel M/V Warren Jr...

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's catamaran ferry M/V Asteria...

Seeing all this traffic convinced me that I'd need to paddle to World's End to find serenity and a good place for a swim.  This "You are here" map on Grape Island shows the area I spent the morning paddling...

I approached World's End at a little past the top of the tide...

Entering the Weir River brought me to the east side of World's End where the water was calm, shallow, and lagoon-like...

 A great egret stood watch...

The sun finally prevailed and things rapidly got hot! (90 degrees F.)  Found a spot to land and take a dip...my first salty swim of the year...

Then it was back out of the Weir River...

...and back to Hingham Harbor.

Only trash encountered was just above the tideline where I briefly landed on Slate Island...